Triple-step stool



March 24, 1931'. A, H 1,797,656

TRIPLE STEP STOOL Filed June 5, 1929 '2 Sheets-Sheet 1 In venior A iiorney 2 heets-Sheet 2 Filed June 5, 1929 Inventor T Attorney Patented Mar. 24, 1931 UNITED STATES JAMES A. HALL, O13 WALTON, INDIANA TRIPLE-STEP STOOL Application filed June 5, 1929. Serial 1V0. 368,615.

The present invention relates to atriple step stool and has for its prime object to pro vide a combination stool and step ladder wherein the steps maybe concealed under the stool by a simpleoperation or brought out to position for use by another simple operation.

Another very important object of the invention resides in the provision of a device of this nature which is useful by the housewife, persons in stores, oifices, etc., and wherein the structure is that of a high stool which may be used for tables or desks as a stool with a foot rest and may be easily converted to an eficient step ladder and folded and when used as a stool will take up no more room than the ordinary stool.

A still further very important object of the invention resides in the provision of a stool of this nature which is exceedingly simple in its construction, inexpensive to manufacture, compact and convenient in its arrangement of parts, easy to manipulate, thoroughly etficient and reliable in use and operation, and otherwise well adapted to the purpose for which it is designed.

ith the above and numerous other objects in view as will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in certain novel features of construction, and in the combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the stool embodying the features of my invention,

Figure 2 is a vertical section therethrough,

Figure 3 is a top plan View thereof,

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line l-% of Figure 1, and

Figure 5 is a perspective view of one of the crank shafts.

Referring to the drawing in detail it will be seen that numeral 5 and numeral 6 denote legs which converge upwardly toward each other and are connected together by braces 7 and 8. The front legs 5 are also connected together by a brace 9.

A top 10 is mounted on the upper end of the legs and forms a seat which projects slightly forwardly of the legs 5. A pair of steps 11 and 12 are connected together by sheet metal let or in any other suitable manner so as to be disposed in spaced parallelism, the latter above the former. It will be noted that the length of the step 11 is greater than that of the step 12.

Crank shafts 15 are ournaled between the braces 7 and 8 and have their cranks journaled in bearings 15 on the rear edges of the 66 step. The normal position of the step is shown in Figure 2 and it will be seen that by raising thesteps and moving the same for wardly, said steps may be disposed in the position indicated in dotted lines in Figure 2.

A suitable leg structure 16 depends from 'the forward edge of the step 11 to support the same when in extended position. When the steps are in retracted position as shown in full lines in Figure 2 it will be seen that 7 the step 11 rests on the brace 9. When the steps are disposed in the contracted position the step 11 projects slightly forwardly of the legs 5 so as to function as a foot rest for a person on the seat or top 10. I

It is thought that the construction, operation, and advantages of this invention will be 'seen without a more detailed description thereof.

It will be noted'by referring to Figure 4 that the bearings 15 are sufficiently long to prevent any side sway of the step. It will also be noted from Figure 2 that the crank shafts do not drop down to a horizontal position but stand a little up and are in the same position when the steps are moved out from under the stool. For this reason a slight push with the foot will bring these crank shafts to a perpendicular position and then because of their own weight the steps will fall into place under the stool. The steps may be withdrawn from under the stool in this manner only with a pulling moleg of the step and the floor.

I have confined my drawings and description to a stool with two steps but it is to be understood that one or more steps may be provided. The present embodiment as a whole has been disclosed merely by way of example since in actual practice it attains the features of advantage enumerated as de sirable in the statement of the invention and the above description.

It will be apparent that changes in the de tails of construction, and in the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to Without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed or sacrificing any of its advantages.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is:

1. A device of the class described comprising a pair of front legs and a rear leg, said legs converging upwardly toward each other, a seat supported on the upper end of said legs, braces extending between the front legs and the rear leg, a cross brace between the front legs, a pair of steps one above the other, bearings on the rear edges of the steps, means connecting the steps together in substantial spaced parallelism, and cranks having intermediate portionsjournaled in the bearings and end portions journaled in the first mentioned braces, the bottom step normally resting on the cross brace.

2. A device of the class described comprising a pair of front legs and a rear leg, said legs converging upwardly toward each other, a seat supported on the upper end of said legs, braces extending between the front legs and the rear leg, a. cross brace between the front legs, a pair of steps one above the other, bearings on the rear edges of the steps, means connecting the steps together in substantial spaced parallelism, cranks having intermediate portions journaled in the bearings and end portions journaled in the first mentioned braces, the bottom step normally resting on the cross brace, and a leg structure depending from the front end of the lower step.

3. A device of the class described comprising a pair of front legs and a rear leg, said legs converging upwardly toward each other, a seat supported on the upper end of said legs, braces extending between the front legs and the rear leg, a cross brace between the front legs, a pair of steps one above the other, bearings on the rear edges of the steps, means connecting the steps together in substantial spaced parallelism, cranks having intermediate portions journaled in the bearings and end portions journaled in the first mentioned braces, the bottom step normally resting on the cross brace, and a leg structure depending from the front end of the lower step, said lower step being longer than the upper step to project a distance forwardly from the front legs when. the seats are disposed between the legs.

4. A device of the class described comprising a leg supporting structure, a seat mounted thereon, a step, a crank shaft journaled in the legs of the supporting structure and having its intermediate portion ournaled on the rear end of the step, and a cross brace between a pair of the legs of said supporting structure and upon which cross brace the step rests.

5. A device of the class described compris ing a leg supporting structure, a seat mounted thereon, a step, a crank shaft journaled in the legs of the supporting structure and having its intermediate portion journaled on the rear end of the step, a cross brace between a pair of the legs of said supporting structure and upon which cross brace the step rests, and a leg structure depending from the forward end of the step.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

JAMES A. HALL. 

